If you asked me a month ago what a wetland was the only word that would've popped into my head would've been swamp. But NO wetlands come in many varieties.... who'd have known?
Identifying a wetland is not as simple as it might seem. When a botanist wants to identify a plant there are various keys that can be used to differentiate between plants, but a key for identifying wetland types? Don't be ridiculous. Even the definitions are pretty vague.
The Ramsar Convention defines a wetland as...
"Areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters"
That makes things a lot clearer doesn't it? Yep, didn't think so.
The best way for me to get my head round the many different types of wetlands is to experience them first hand.
My first experience of a wetland was at the Life Conference at Plas Menai. Over the 3 day conference we visited CORS GOCH, CORS ERDDREINIOG, CORS BODEILIO and CORS GEIRCH (Handy tip: WEAR WELLIES).
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